100 Times
by Aerilon452
Summary: A/U: River and the Doctor make love after the events that transpired on Trenzalore that ends up with them on a beach together. ONE SHOT. COMPLETE.


Summary: The Doctor takes to his room after dropping Clara off.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Doctor Who

Rating: M

Pairing: River and The Doctor

**100 TIMES:**

The Doctor trudged down the hall after leaving Clara at her residence. He was tired, so bone weary that he was amazed he didn't fall down to his knees in the corridor and pass out. The emotional torment had finally taken its toll on him; the Time Lord. He had to face the echo of his wife, of River, of the woman he loved. A lone tear slipped down his cheek. He wanted to hold her, to hear her call him 'sweetie', and most of all he wanted to taste her precious lips one more time. The TARDIS was a time machine. He could go the Great Library and he could save her. Time can be re-written. Then, like always, his conscience butted in and whispered that this was what had to happen. His River, his wife, she was doomed to die. Again, his two hearts broke as he reached out, fingers touching the panel, and the door to his bedroom opened. What he saw punched him right in the stomach. There was a shadowy form curled up in the center of a bed he had shared with River. Only two people had access to enter this room. The Doctor closed the distance from the door to the bed and moved aside the drapes. "River…"

River had appeared on the TARDIS not knowing how she had gotten here. A long time ago she had stopped asking questions. She just learned to go with the flow and smiled as she moved out of the control room and into the corridor that would take her to the room she had longed to see again. River recalled the last time she had seen her Doctor, he was cupping her face, he as telling her that seeing her again had hurt him so much. She was an echo and yet not an echo. She was River Song. She was the Doctor's wife. When it came to her, nothing was ever as it seemed. Turning down another corridor, River saw the door she was looking for. Exhaustion clung to her suddenly, invaded her being. Placing her hand, palm down on the scanner, the door slid open for her. The door had been locked to everyone but two people; her and her Doctor. There in the center of the room was their bed. It was Victorian four poster bed with drapes that swirled and lit the bed with the celestial light of the universe. One night she had asked about them and he had told her that the drapes were imprints of the night sky from Galifrey. She slipped through the drapes and curled up on the bed surrounded by his scent; the scent of a Time Lord.

The Doctor couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was River. His River. His wife. She was here. How was this possible? She had died and was nothing more than a memory stored within a computer archive. He should know, he had put her there. It was the one kindness he could do for her at the time. Back then he hadn't known her, hadn't known the way she liked to be touched, and hadn't known how she liked to be kissed. He hadn't known that she was the one person in the world who knew everything about him until she had told him his name. The Doctor never told his name to anyone, not even Rose. But then there was River. She knew his name; she looked at him with love, and smiled at him with knowing intimacy. How cruel the universe could be to let him meet the woman he would love on the final day of her life. Moving aside the drapes, the Doctor grabbed River behind her knees yanking her to the edge of the bed, and pulled her up so he could fuse his mouth to hers. He needed the taste of her lips.

River woke in the best way imaginable. She was being kissed by lips she knew all too well. Her arms draped over her Doctor's shoulders, fingers tangling in his short hair. River held him as tightly as he was holding her. She brought her knees up to his waist falling back to the bed to bring him with her. More than anything, River wanted to feel his weight settle over her, the feel of his body against hers. He went with he willingly, but he rolled them so that River was on top, the way he knew she liked it; at least for the start of thing to come. The Doctor kissed her with passion, with hunger, and fire that she thought her body would burn as brightly as the stars glowing around them. "Hello, sweetie," River gasped when they broke apart for a second to breathe. They needed air, but she needed him more than she wanted to breathe. In his eyes she saw sadness, relief, hunger, and love. "Oh, my love, I'm here now." River stroked his cheeks. "I'm here," She breathed out kissing his forehead, his closed eyelids, and once more she kissed his lips feeling the fire burn between them, brighter than before.

The Doctor sat up still kissing River. His hands eagerly ran up and down her back, her sides, over her hips, and then to the front where he pulled the fabric of her blouse apart. He needed more of her skin, needed River. She dropped her arms and let the shirt fall from her shoulders. Then his fingers attacked the black lace bra she wore with hungry abandon. The clasps were fighting him, making him work for his wife's flesh. More, he wanted more. He needed River. He had to have her. So much pain and anguish was already washing away from his soul just from her kiss alone. Finally the clasps of her bra were freed. The straps fell down her shoulders; the cups loosened their hold on her breasts, and the Doctor took it from her body like he had her shirt. Greedily his hands cupped and kneaded her mounds feeling her nipples harden against his palms. "My sweet River. My wife…" He moaned against her lips.

River gasped and then gulped down vital oxygen. She was trying to keep her mind, but her Doctor was doing his level best to make her lose her senses. His palms pushed against her breasts, fingers digging into her flesh with heat and hunger. He had attacked her clothing and now it was her turn to repay him in kind. She pulled free the bowtie he wore; dropped it to the bed. Her hands pushed off his jacket and let it pool around his waist. Next came his vest, the suspenders, and finally his shirt. She tugged it from the waist band of his pants and one by one she freed the buttons. Inch by inch his skin was revealed her eyes and soon she would paint his chest with kisses. This time, it was his hands that fell from her, and she lamented the loss of his touch, but she had to get his shirt off, had to touch him. Still straddling his waist, River placed her hands on his chest, over both of his hearts, and nudged him to lie flat on his back. He smirked, but did as she wanted.

The Doctor felt the silk of the comforter touch his back, cold at first, and then it warmed to his skin. River drew her fingertip down the center of his chest making his eyes roll back in his head. She had a touch that made his insides melt and his passions enflame. He wasn't looking but he moaned when he felt her lips touched the hollow of his throat. The Doctor brought his hands up, fingers tangling in her mass of curly hair to cup the back of her head. The movements she made were all her own, he just needed to touch her. Down she moved, lips branding his skin. It was then her tongue darted out, touched is sensitive male bud that was hard in response to her kisses, just as hard as the rest of him. Her tongue flicked back and forth over his right nipple bringing sounds of male pleasure from between his lips. How much more of this could he endure before his desire for her overrode his sense to let her have her way with him? No matter how long he lived he would never grow weary or feel his desire wane for the woman above him.

River drew her tongue from his skin, trailing her lips back up to the side of his neck to kiss, to lavish attention on his thumping pulse. His fingers tightened in her mass of hair and it drew a light chuckle from her. River grasped his wrists, gently urging him to release her. She sat up, and then slid off the bed. The Doctor sat up as well. He would not let her far from his arms. Sliding to the edge of the bed, his fingers pulled on the string ties at her hips keeping the light weight pants in place. She watched with rapture as the black fabric slid down her hips lips water to pool at her feet. River placed her hands on his shoulder for balance so she could step out of them. But there was more to come from him. He leaned into her and placed a gentle kiss to her right hip and then repeated the same action with her left. River leaned her head back and moaned loudly. She had told him once that she was a screamer and she looked forward to the Doctor making her scream.

The Doctor placed delicate kisses to her hips, above her navel, and up until his lips could dance over her heart. He stopped and placed his hear to her chest. The Doctor wanted to hear her heart, her single heart that had the power to break both of his if it ever stopped beating again. She was the one. His one in a million love that knew all about him and she still loved him. To him, River was the greatest adventure in the universe. Perhaps now they would be traveling in the same direction. No more back to front moments. He wanted his wife by his side. He needed her with him. The Doctor looked up at River, "I love you." He hadn't said that to her, ever. He hadn't even said it to her echo at Trenzalore. He needed to say it now.

River felt her heart seize in her chest with happiness. She brushed his hair back from his forehead, leaned down, and kissed his brow, "Oh sweetie, I love you too." She replied. River took his lip again as he rose changing the angle of the kiss. They reversed positions until her knees were touching the edge of the bed and his body was pressed to her front. Her hands did not remain idle, no, her fingers went to the button of his pants, freed it, and then lowered the zipper. He had nothing between him and the pants. She liked that so much that she nearly missed him hooking I fingers in the thin scrap of her underwear. As his pants fell so did her panties until they both stood naked and bathed in starlight of the drapes.

The Doctor fully engulfed in flames of desire for his wife slide his knee between her thighs and took her his arms to guide her back to the bed. Their eyes stayed locked, their chests rose and fell together. He was hard, straining to be buried deeply inside of her, but he wanted her in the throes of unimaginable pleasure before he took her. Settling to her side, his erection brushing River's thigh, the Doctor nudged her legs apart. River moved her left leg, giving him what he wanted. He brushed his fingers over her wet curls covering her nether lips. Slowly he parted the swollen flesh, all the while keeping his eyes locked with hers. River pressed her head into the covers, her mouth falling open. A long drawn out moan bounced off the walls as he slid one finger inside of her, and then a second.

River moaned, placing her right hand on his chest over his heart beating in the right side of his chest. His fingers moved in and out of her in time with the beating of his hearts. Her Doctor had long fingers, they stroked her, flooding her with so much pleasure that he mind was shutting down to everything but the feel of him. His fingers rubbed her, touching all the right places inside of her. "Oh, yes… sweetie…" River gasped, her left hand coming down to grasp his wrist. She could feel an orgasm building jut from his fingers, his long skilled amazing fingers. This made her love him all the more. "I need you my love."

The Doctor needed River as well. Slowly, he took his fingers from her, as he sat up once more. He planted his feet on the floor and pulled River over him. She went to her knees, her hands to his shoulders, and her eyes locked with his. His left hand took his hardened length as his right hand rested over River's hip. She knew what he wanted and slowly she sank down on him. Inch by inch he entered her while they held each other's gaze. The Doctor gasped when he slipped all the way inside of her. "River…" He whispered her name like a prayer, like she was the answer to all his prayers and she was. Wanting this moment to last he made his body go still as he leaned his forehead to her chin. He wanted to live in this moment. "Don't move yet…" The Doctor closed his committing this moment to his memory.

River did as she was asked; she stayed still, because she too wanted this moment to last. Oh, how she loved this man, loved everything about him. River kissed his temple over and over with light lingering kisses. She needed him to move. "Please, my love…" River gave a slight undulation of her hips to bring him pleasure. He leaned his head back, their eyes once again watching each other, and his hands went to her hips. Starting off slowly, her Doctor guided her hips. First he had her moving in circles going clockwise. "Oh yes…. My gods… More!" She was still such a screamer. Her hands slid up the side of his neck and cupped the back of his head. Then he guided her in the opposite direction.

The Doctor tried to keep his mind, tried not to fall over the edge as he watched River above him framed by the drapes imprinted with the night sky from his home world. This was what he wanted, to watch her, to feel her gripping him, and to hear her moans of pleasure. "Yes… River…" He couldn't keep quiet. That was River's power. She drew his voice from between his lips while she moved without his guiding hands. All he could do was to hold her and ride the rapids with her. "More, River… give me… more!" This time he shouted, very nearly screaming with her. She twisted over him, tightened her inner muscles. Sweat made his skin slick, and her, making his grip on her hips slip slightly. The Doctor continued to watch River through the haze threatening to make him lose his senses. Her eyes had gone dark, her mouth open, and her moans mingling with his.

River was close, so close. She wanted to fall into the pit of euphoria with him. Her Doctor moved under her now, feeling their orgasm was close at hand. She picked up the pace, her hips moving faster and faster, her inner muscles tightening on him. "Oh yes…" River kissed him, dancing her lips over his, their tongues dueling. River ground down on him, giving a little twist of her hips and that was that. It was the beginning of a series of orgasmic detonations that ran through her body, through his, and had them screaming together. She fell against him, his arms going around her waist, as his hard length twitched inside of her; his juices mingling with hers. She barely found her voice, barely had the energy to speak, "This is the kind of sex that could make a child." She laughed in a gasping breath.

The Doctor's body shook with tiny tremors and his hearts beat wildly out of control at her words. Pulling back, still holding her, he replied, "Marry me." Yes, they were already husband and wife, but still he wanted to marry her a hundred times in a hundred days. "Let's get married on a beach, we haven't done that yet." His body was still trembled, but his breathing was evening out. "I can't walk away from you now." He admitted. She smiled at him and kissed him passionately without giving him an answer. Eagerly he feasted at her lips, feeling his passions stir again, his manhood rising to desires yet to be had from his wife.

River broke the kiss, resting her forehead to his, "We're already married," she pointed out, but added, "I will marry you again and again. I will marry you one hundred times in one hundred days." She kissed him again, quickly. "Where should we go? Does it require clothing?" River teased. He gripped her hips and thrust into her playfully, but it drew a moan from her. There was a pang of guilt her parents couldn't see her get married that hadn't happened in an aborted timeline. Though, since her mother remembered that it happened, River remembered that it happened, her doctor remembered, and her father remembered, it could count as a marriage. Everyone of consequence knew they were married. "Is this for us?" She asked.

"Just you and me," The Doctor confirmed. "Anywhere you want to go." He said seeing the choices race through her mind at lightning speed. If he had his way he would have taken her home to Gallifrey, but his world was gone, destroyed, and he had no home except this TARDIS and River. He ran his hands up and down her sides, her skin shivering from his touch while he watched her make up her mind. It was interesting to watch River decide. She blinked, she bit her bottom lip, and she gave him a wicked look. That look fueled him all the movie, made him desire to have her again.

River made up her mind. "Take me somewhere new," She kissed him. "Take me somewhere you have never taken another." That made her Doctor think a moment. He laced his fingers together at the small of her back and scrunched his forehead up as he was thinking. River laughed at him. He was really thinking, making her wait as she had done to him. She was going to get married to the Doctor, again, and this time on a beach. What more could a girl want? For her, she wanted nothing more than to be with the Doctor. While he thought, she kissed his furrowed brow.

The Doctor finally decided after running through all of the known worlds he knew of, he made up his mind. "Tygarian IV." He blurted out and River's eyes focused on him. "It's a luxury beach plant. The sand is made up of pearls, the water is a clear crystal blue, and the sky is lavender. It the ideal place for use and I have never taken another there." Come to think of it, he heard about the planet from Jack Harkness. Maybe they shouldn't go. Then again, River wasn't one of his companions; she was his wife. "This place, I would only ever want to see with you by my side." The Doctor kissed River with all the tenderness he had for her.

River smiled, "Do we have to get dressed?" She teased. Her hunger for him never truly faded, but from time to time it would simmer so as not to remind her that she couldn't have him. Now, however, she could be with her Doctor for as long as she wanted. She had gone to the Library and she had died, but somehow she had come back. Maybe it was because of her husband's new companion; Clara, the impossible girl. "I want to meet Clara." River said once again placing her hands on his chest, over his hearts. "I want to meet this impossible girl who saved your life." He wouldn't deny her.

"If you're to meet Clara, then we have to get dressed." He pointed out. Though, he was content to stay in this bed with River and he was in no hurry to have her leave his arms. "I think she would be rather cross with us if we showed up with not a stitch of clothing." The Doctor once again kissed the space above River's heart. Her pulse leapt in response. He loved what he could do to her heart, to her body. They always found each other through all of time and space. Idly he raked his short nails down her back making her arch into him. She gave him a look that screamed he was being naughty. He smiled at her.

River wrapped her arms around her husband's shoulders, "First, I meet Clara, and then you and I can run of and get married." To be bad like he knew she could be, River rotated her hip drawing a moan from him, before she moved off of his lap. His arms wrapped around her waist pulling her back into his lap. She laughed when he kissed the side of her neck, but he let her go. She walked stark naked out of his room, their room, to the shower, and then she would change into something appropriate. River could only hope that her life would remain like this, with him, traveling in the same direction.

The Doctor stayed sitting on the edge of the bed for a moment more. River was still branded on his skin, he didn't want to wash away her scent just yet. This was heaven for him; her touch, her kiss. River was his life. Standing up, he stretched his arms above his head hear his young looking body pop and crack. He cleaned himself up in the small washroom off the bedroom and then with a towel around his waist wen to the wardrobe to change his clothes. Inside the multi-level closet he heard chuckling. River. Walking calmly down the steps he followed the sound of her voice and found her in a white thin strapped dress with a v down the back. The fabric clung to her in all the right places and it drew a sound of male appreciation from him.

River knew he was watching, she always knew when he was watching her, and she turned to him. "What do you think of this one?" She asked. River had taken the quickest shower she ever had so she could get down here and find a dress that was of her choosing and now just what she had been wearing at the time. She had been passing rack after rack of all the clothes he had accumulated over the years and this dress had stood out. It was a light white dress with hand stitched roses accented with pearls and diamonds. The neck line in front was a modest v, but the back plunged halfway down her back. Instantly her hands pulled it from the hanger and she slipped into her. It fit to her like a glove. River knew this was the dress she was going to marry her Doctor in this time. By the look in his face she knew she looked spectacular, amazing, gorgeous, and any other word he could choose to use to describe how she looked to him.

The Doctor was speechless, but somehow he managed to find words, "You look amazing." He held out his arms and motioned her to come to him. River molded to him and rested her forehead to his chin. "I can't wait to marry you… again," They laughed lightly. "But, to do that, I need to be dressed as well." He cupped Rivers face and kissed her. He could never get enough of her. She pulled back and stepped aside for him to find clothes. Going through the racks he picked out a loose fitting, light weight pair of black pants. The Doctor slung hem over his left arm and continued to traverse the massive wardrobe. So many years, so many places, and he had so many clothes. Every shirt his eyes set upon seemed wrong. Then, as he ignored more shirts, one stuck out. His hand closed over the hanger and pulled it out. It was white, pure spun silk that was the same fabric as River's dress. "Perfect," The Doctor mumbled. He quickly dressed, pulling on the pants, and then the towel came off so he could raise the zipper and button the clasp of the pants. As he turned to face River he slipped the shirt on but it was her fingers the buttoned each button. "How do I look?"

River smiled, "Amazing." Her answer came easy. "You, my love, are always amazing." Again, like before, he brought his hands to her face and his thumbs caressed her cheeks. She stood on tip toe and kissed him. She winked at him when she pulled back. "Now, let's go meet your new companion." River picked up the hem of her dress so she could go up the stairs without tripping. The Doctor was right behind her, his hand resting on her lower back. River felt her heart beating faster. He had always asked her to join him before, and now, when he asked she had said yes. It was the look in his eyes; deep pain and terrible loss. Trezalore had taken its toll on him.

Clara had one interesting day with the Doctor. She had met his dead wife, a lizard woman married to a human, and potato looking thing that was named Strax. Maybe interesting was too subtle a word, but for right now it was the only one she had. Clara wasn't sure what to make of the fact that River, the Doctor's wife, had formed a psychic link to her so that her echo could interact, to help. There was so much about his world, his life, that she didn't understand, but she was learning quickly. Just as she was cleaning up the mess the kids left behind the doorbell rang. She left the mess, thankful to stop looking at it, as she went to the door. Clara turned the knob and saw someone she hadn't expected to see. "River?"

River Song smiled, "Hello Clara, it's nice to meet you in person and not as an echo." She looked back at her Doctor standing by the TARDIS. "I told him I wanted to meet you." Now that she was seeing this side of Clara, the side that took care of two children as a nanny, River really was impressed with her. "You seem like a good fit for him." When she wasn't with the Doctor, River always feared that he would end up traveling alone. He didn't do well on his own. "I'm glad he found you and that you travel with him." Though, now, she might not have to worry about him as much. "Thank you for traveling with him."

"_RIVER!"_

Clara looked to the Doctor and shook her head, "Late for something?" She asked, her tone light and playful. There was so much about River that was shrouded in mystery, and yet she seemed to be an open book. She was the Doctor's wife.

River shrugged, "Just a wedding." She added a smile and looked back over her shoulder at her Doctor.

"Who's wedding?" Clara asked.

River just looked at Clara and smiled. "Goodbye Clara," she said before turning to walk back to the TARDIS. At the door, her Doctor was waiting for her. River stepped up to him and then move by him into the new desktop. It seemed colder to her, sterile. She missed the old desktop, but then again, he had been suffering when this new control room came about. Her love wanted to banish all reminders of her parents when he was here, when he was without her. Normally, she would automatically start putting in coordinates to begin their journey, but not this time. No, this time River stood by and waited for her Doctor, but that didn't stop her from placing her hand on the new console and psychically saying hello to the TARDIS.

The Doctor lingered at the door, long enough to wave at Clara, long enough to watch her close the door so he knew he was safe inside. He breathed in, deeply, for the first time in a long while. Clara had mended his sense of adventure, but it was River who mended his hearts; as well as they could be mended. Stepping back inside the TARDIS, he closed the doors, and gazed at River. She was waiting for him. They had always been waiting for each other it seemed. Now, the waiting would be over. The Doctor, without a word to her, set the controls to take them off into the galaxy. River remained as silent as he flipped the switch. The TARDIS pitched, made the noise he thought was brilliant, and they were off.

River held tight to the railing. She had learned long ago to anticipate the TARDIS, but the tempestuous time machine still had much to teach her. It lurched, shook, and threw River off balance. She laughed as the Doctors arms encircled her, holding her tightly. Then everything stilled as they reached their destination. River felt excitement race through her as she went to the doors, much as he had when they followed the Byzantium after the ship had crashed. She threw open the doors and rush of air caressed her face, the warmth of the sun, the sound of ocean water. The air had the slightest hint of roses dancing around her. His hands slipped over her hips, his cheek touched hers. "This is perfect." River mused.

The Doctor nuzzled the side of her neck. He didn't need to say anything. With River, words were just words. She saw through him, all of him, and he loved that about her. When he had been on Trenzalore, he had fought not to look at her, not to speak to her to reach out and to touch her. It had killed him more to ignore her than he it had to speak to her. Now, that wasn't the case. She was right here, in his arms, and he was no longer going to waste any time with her. River was going to stay with him no matter what. The Doctor could stand with River forever. "Ready to marry me, Professor Song?" He whispered kissing her temple. She sighed and sank back against him fully.

"Always am sweetie," River answered. She stepped from the TARDIS, her hand in his, and felt the warm sand beneath her feet. Together hand in hand, they walked the length of the beach before coming to a nice, exotic sea side resort where many different species were gathered enjoying the surf, the sun, and the fun. A few bungalows down, they came to what appeared to be a temple; old earth design from Hawaii. "I think we found the right spot." River said as she pulled him inside. An older gentleman turned to them, he reminded her of a tiger, but his body was encased in white fur with black stripes and a tail flicking back and forth while black rounded ears twitched. The man wore a smile and was dressed in a white robe with a garland of exotic flowers about his neck.

The Doctor had been looking at the markings carved into the wooden beams when he turned to see the man, "Oh, hello…" He smiled not taking his hand from River's. Suddenly he was so nervous. His left hand shot into the pocket of his pants and felt the cloth that was tied around two rings. Humans used them to signify marriage. Time Lords had done the same, hundreds of years ago, and he was going to resurrect the tradition now. "We're wanting to get married." Right now there was no need to be awkward, to appear silly to others. He was with River. This marriage was for them. When he had been younger he had toyed with the idea of being a husband. River was the woman he hadn't realized he had been dreaming of. In this time line he wanted to call her wife.

River rested her head on her love's shoulder. "We've been looking for the right place to bind our hearts together." She added smiling. Until this moment, River hadn't realized that she wanted a real marriage. She wanted to be a real wife despite everything. Her life had happened the way it was meant to and then she was given a second chance. "When we came here…."

"Stop…" The tiger rumbled holding up his right hand. "I will bind you two together." He looked at the pair, "It would be my honor to marry the Time Lord and his Eternal Wife. History knows the two of you well" The tiger looked to the Doctor, "Despite your attempt to erase yourself."

"Idle gossip." The Doctor argued gently.

"Archeology," River teased.

"Same thing," The Doctor replied teasingly making River laugh.

The tiger smiled at the pair of them. "Please face the other." He rumbled his voice a gravely purring baritone. His eyes marveled at the sight of River Song and the Doctor. They were two people in the universe who could be found all over history.

The Doctor did as he was asked, facing River. He turned his left hand palm up waiting for her to place her hand over his. She couldn't stop smiling and neither could he. The moment her palm touched his he was even surer that this was the right thing to do. River was always his no matter what time they were in. In his chest, his two hearts were beating wildly out of control. "I guess we are doing this backwards, huh?" The feeling of her raced along his flesh.

"It's how our life goes sweetie," River replied rubbing her thumb over the inside of his wrist. She wasn't sure why she had been given a second chance, but she knew one thing for sure, she was going to stand by her Doctor. This time they would be traveling in the same direction, able to see the world, the universe, without her having foreknowledge of how things would turn out. "We have a second chance to do this together." River was taking what she wanted this time. She was going to stay with her Doctor.

The tiger asked, "Are they specific words you wish to have spoken or would you like to speak from the heart?"

Together they said, "From the heart."

The tiger chuckled lightly, "When you're ready."

The Doctor opened his mouth to start speaking but then stopped. He was staring deeply into River's eyes, getting lost in them. What he had wanted to say flew right out of his mind. Instead he said, "I never thought a woman like you would ever cross my path. All of Time and Space to traverse and the perfect woman comes to me on the day she dies." Tears came to his eyes. "I didn't realize how much you meant to me until I heard your voice, tried not seeing the echo you had become." He stopped talking t swallow the hard knot of sudden grief. "Then, there you were, in the TARDIS, sleeping, and I knew I couldn't let you leave me again." With his free right hand, he reached into his pants pocket and pulled free the strip of cloth that held two rings together holding them in his closed fist. "I take you as my wife, promising to love you, to stand by your side, and to run with you." The last part coaxed a small smile from her.

River didn't know what she could say. He had said everything so perfectly that her heart fluttered and her eyes misted over with tears. "I love you." River started. "The day you met me, the day I died, I knew the man I was saving. I knew that as you ran, had more adventures, you would find me again and you would come to love me as much as I loved you in those final moments." Tears trailed down her cheeks. "I can't imagine my life turning out differently. You are too much a part of me that I don't want to ever be free of you." She tightened her hand on his watching as he opened his right hand. River saw two rings. "Oh, Doctor. My Doctor…" she sighed. "I take you as my husband with all the love I have to give." This time, he let go of her hand giving her the ring meant for his finger. River watched in awe as he pulled free the thin band that looked centuries, if not thousands of years old, from the strip of cloth, and then he slipped the band over her left ring finger. Instantly the cold metal warmed to her skin.

The Doctor held out his right hand to River and waited. Humans had only one heart, their left ring finger was the only one to have a vein connected right to the heart. With him being a Time Lord he could chose the hand he wanted to bear the wedding band. He chose his right and watched as River slipped the band over his finger. Normally, things like this would have seemed silly to him, almost trivial, but being at Trenzalore had shook him to the core. Seeing River's echo had caused him too much pain to the point that he knew he had wasted so much time being with her. No again. Not this time. River was his and he was hers. "My hearts beat strongly with you by my side."

The tiger reached out placing his hands on their shoulders. "In the sight of the universe, and with your words spoke out of love and devotion, your lives, the paths you now travel, are as one." He smiled at them, feeling the out pouring of love from both people. "Now, the part you two will probably enjoy the most," he joked, "You may now kiss the bride."

The Doctor cupped her face and said, "I'll make it a good one."

"You better," River replied. And then his lips were on hers. This kiss felt like no other kiss he had given her; happy, content, full of joy and passion. When they kissed the world stopped, but for different reasons. She could love in this moment alone. She could live a thousand lives if it meant she was able to kiss his lips, able to stand by his side.


End file.
